Three-Quarters of Ukrainians Say Russia’s Peace Plan Is Unacceptable
A strong majority of Ukrainians continue to reject Russia’s proposed peace terms and oppose holding national elections while fighting continues.
The Gaze informs about it, referring to a new public opinion survey released by the Kyiv International Institute of Sociology (KIIS).
The poll shows that three-quarters of Ukrainians view Russia’s peace plan as completely unacceptable, a figure unchanged since September. Only 17% of respondents said they would be willing to accept Moscow’s version of a settlement.
By contrast, 72% of Ukrainians said they could support a joint peace proposal developed by Ukraine and its European partners, even if it involved freezing the conflict along the current front lines.
Support for this option remains cautious, with most respondents backing it without enthusiasm, but notably the share of those ready to accept it “without hesitation” rose from 18% to 31%.
The European-Ukrainian proposal does not include formal recognition of occupied territories as Russian and предусматриває security guarantees for Ukraine. Just 14% of respondents said they categorically reject this approach.
The survey also indicates that Ukrainians remain firmly opposed to holding elections while the war is ongoing. Only 9% of respondents support conducting national elections before a ceasefire – down from 11% in September.
If a ceasefire were reached and security guarantees secured, support for elections rises modestly, with 25% backing the idea. However, a clear majority 57% insist that elections should take place only after a final peace agreement and the complete end of the war.
Meanwhile, another question measuring Ukrainians’ trust in international leaders highlights strong confidence in European partners. UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer topped the ranking with a 76.1% trust rating, followed by leaders of Latvia, France, Sweden, Lithuania, Germany, Finland, and the European Commission.
Trust in the leaders of the United States and Poland, however, declined sharply compared with last year, while leaders of Russia, Belarus, China, and Hungary ranked at the bottom of the index.
The surveys were conducted between November 26 and December 13 using computer-assisted telephone interviews in government-controlled areas of Ukraine.
As The Gaze reported earlier, a new European survey indicates that the war in Ukraine continues to dominate public concerns across the European Union, remaining the issue most frequently cited by EU citizens when asked about the main challenges facing the bloc.
Read more on The Gaze: Broad Support for Ukraine Among Americans: Why Even Republicans Are Against Concessions to Putin